Chevelle 2026

[TireSmoker]

I was looking through the project threads and it seems like the last time I posted about the Chevelle was in 2023 ?!? I guess 2024 and 2025 were kinda consumed by Maliboost, Drag Week, Champcar, etc. The Chevelle has been kinda soldering on.

First, my friend Jim Radel found these awesome 1970 model year plates, and they start with SS. I got rid of my DS1970 personalized historic, got a regular historic, and then added the model year plate. Tony has the same setup on his Chevelle. I love how they look. Red lettering, white plate, blue car.. 'murica!

When I ran Buckeye Sklps in the fall of 2025, the car was mis-firing on my dragstrip pass. Not awful, but clearly... amiss. Come spring of this year, it started stumbling when I'd pull away from a light, or go around a corner. It seemed very fueling related, honestly. But it would run just fine most of other times. I tried making a couple fueling changes, and it had no effect on the stumbling.

I had a full set of AC Delco coils on the shelf for drag week spares. I installed them on the car and everything was instantly resolved and the car just seemed to run better than ever. I made some adjustments to make the closed-loop idle work better. It's really about the best the car has ever driven, and its very satisfying to drive.

We drove it out to Wellington to meet up with Tony in his Chevelle for dinner at Forts. It's not close. By the time I got back, I had put well over 150 miles on the car. The gauge is reading just below 3/4, so I'm looking forward to filling it up and checking the mileage a bit.

It might even make a Wednesday night appearance.

[Basement Paul]

Take it this Wed. Supposed to be pretty cool for summertime.

-BP

[TireSmoker]

This past Wednesday, 7/22, I bolted on the drag radials and skinnies and headed out to Thompson. Just barely got across 306 when I realized I forgot my helmet in Maliboost. Whoops. But it felt nice to just drive out to the track in this car again.

I ended last season with a 12.40 pass at Buckeye Skips at Dragway 42, but I had those random misfires then. Definitely gone now. First pass today was 12.43 @ 109. 1-2 shift is still inconsistent, but the MPH was pretty strong.

Next pass was against Paul in his C4-LS1. I went 12.26 @ 109 to his 12.24 @ 112. When you break down the intervals, I was quicker to 1000 ft, Paul smoked me on the tree though, .023 vs .154. There's a good video of the pass taken by 2StrokeTony's wife. It was my best of the night, and only .1 off my best ever.

I ran two more time runs and went 12.37 and 12.35, both @ 109. All passes were over 109.5mph, but couldnt break 110mph.

For eliminations, I signed up for the Muscle Car class and no one else was in it, so it was an automatic win. But, for the record, on that pass, I dialed a 12.30, and went 12.33 with an .03 light.

The car ran GREAT. I wasnt sure if I would enjoy running it after all the passes in Maliboost, but I still really enjoy it.

It will make one more track appearance this coming Wednesday, 7/29 at Dragway 42. There will be some Chevelles there from the Northern Ohio Chevelle Club show this coming weekend.

[Basement Paul]

My top end is UN-limited!

-BP

[TireSmoker]

On Wed 7/29, I took the Chevelle down to Dragway 42. A few guys going to the Chevelle show were there. I think I was the fastest of the bunch.

I had a 12.40 @ 109, along with 12.31 and 12.29, both at 110 mph. The car ran great, again. Just Test N Tune, no eliminations.

[Basement Paul]

Chevelles AND JD Race and Conversation. Nice!

-BP